Manuel Saumell Robredo (1817-1870) has been known as the father of nationalism in Cuban music and a precursor and ambassador of the contradanzas for piano, which are considered a point of departure for the later danzas for piano (Sánchez de Fuentes 1938). Likewise, Ignacio Cervantes Kawanagh (1847-1905) was a pioneer himself in developing the danza (derived from the contradanza), though his music is more challenging in terms of rhythm and harmony (Grenet 1939).